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An NBC4 I-Team investigation found that Los Angeles traffic officers continue to ticket cars parked at malfunctioning meters despite a law that forbids it -- all while parking meter citation revenue has generated tens of millions of dollars for the city. Joel Grover reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. (Published Friday, Mar 14, 2014)

Updated at 10:06 AM PDT on Friday, Mar 14, 2014

The city of Los Angeles is still issuing tickets at parking meters that are cheating motorists, despite a new California law forbidding cities from ticketing at inoperable or broken meters, an NBC4 I-Team investigation has found.

"I was angry. I put money in, I did my job, and I got a ticket," said Pete George, who got a parking ticket last month on La Brea and Second Street.

George said he fed at least five quarters into the meter but it remained "expired." But he kept his car in the parking spot in good faith that he had the law on his side.

"I knew there is a new law about not getting a ticket at a broken meter," he said.

"I just don’t think the city is living up to the law that the state legislature passed last year," said California Assemblyman Mike Gatto, who authored the "Broken Meter Law" that went into effect Jan. 1.

When the I-Team questioned the LA Department of Transportation (LADOT), which oversees the parking ticket program, it found the LADOT defines a "broken meter" differently than Gatto, and differently than many drivers.

For example, the city claims the meter that ate up Pete George’s coins without giving him time is "malfunctioning" but not "broken."

"It is one that is malfunctioning, but technically it is operable," said Ken Hustings, LADOT senior engineer who oversees meters.

Since LA's newer meters accept coins or credit cards, if one payment function isn’t working but the other is, Hustings said the city considers the meter "operable."

"Both the coin and card function has to be disabled before it is considered a broken meter," Hustings said.

So, the I-Team investigated. An LADOT spokesman, Jonathan Hui, admitted to NBC4 that the city never even looked at George’s video of the malfunctioning meter, before upholding his citation as "valid."

After repeated questions from the I-Team, the city finally looked at George’s video proving the meter he was ticketed at was malfunctioning, and dismissed the citation.

"I think it’s unfortunate that the city is only trying to look good because of media involvement," George told NBC4. "If they want integrity from their citizens, they should give it as well," he added.